Keep burglars at bay with the latest home security technology

Holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the worry about protecting our property while we’re away.

According to Home Office figures, there’s a 10 per cent rise in burglaries during the summer months, and a 40 per cent increase in thefts from garden sheds and garages.

Meanwhile, the latest English housing survey showed that just 30 per cent of households have some form of alarm fitted, while more than half of homeowners (57 per cent) admit to spending nothing on protecting their property.

Smarthome system provider, LightwaveRF, thinks the answer to homeowners’ security problems is, well, LightwaveRF.

Their smarthome systems allow users to control things from afar, via a free app. Each dimmer, socket, radiator valve and so on communicates wirelessly to the LightwaveRF app via the Lightwave Link, a small plug and play box that slots into your existing wifi router, enabling you to set your lights to turn on and off at random while you’re away.

Then there’s the LightwaveRF LW821 In-line Relay, which allows you to set your curtains, gates or garage doors to open and close on a timer, or operate them at random.

LightwaveRF’s research shows that 55 per cent of homeowners believe smart home technology would mean improved home security, and more convenience in using energy and lighting (53 per cent).

It also showed that 42 per cent of holidaymakers fret that they’ve left the front door unlocked or a window open when they’re away, while a third (32 per cent) frequently feel anxious that they’ve forgotten to switch off an appliance or electrical device.

Homes fitted with smart controls that allow heating, lighting or security to be organised from a mobile phone app are predicted to more than treble over the next four years.

Two million UK homes already have gadgets installed that allow owners to run their properties more efficiently, and industry research predicts that as many as one in four people, some eight million, will be using smart technology by 2020.

John Shermer, founder of LightwaveRF said: “Increasingly consumers understand there is technology available that can give them peace of mind, especially when it comes to security and safety. They want to know that everything is alright at home and this technology means they can keep a better eye on their home.

“Such preventative measures are well-priced and easy to install, it is small purchases like this that could take away the worry when people are away.”